Tag: physics

Rimac vs. Porsche

This Video is a Physics Teacher’s Delight!

Dale

Marques Brownlee’s new video featuring the Rimac Nevera and its impressive acceleration has surely caught the attention of car enthusiasts and physics teachers alike.

The quad motor all-electric supercar’s outstanding performance is particularly evident when it goes head-to-head in a drag race against the Porsche 911 Turbo S, even giving the Porsche a two-second head start and still emerging victorious in the quarter mile race.

The inclusion of a beautiful aerial shot (at 4:36) of the drag race adds an extra layer of excitement and makes the video even more appealing for analysis with video tracking software like Tracker.

Rimac vs. Porsche

This footage provides physics teachers with an excellent opportunity to delve into a full analysis of the race. (Does Rhett Allain have a bat signal?) It will be fascinating to see the analysis unfold and discover the insights that can be gleaned from studying the position data of both cars. Overall, it’s an exhilarating video that combines high-speed action with a potential educational angle for those interested in physics and car performance!

Listen to the data- Literally!

Dale

Recently, I have been completely absorbed by a new topic: data sonification.

My obsession began after listening to an episode of the O’Reilly Hardware Podcast. In the episode, guest Cameron Turner explained how researchers are turning on microphones to collect and analyze sounds coming from things like air conditioner units and commuter trains.

Another example explains how we can take data and convert it into sound. Turner shares the scenario of a data center where the silent internet traffic data is converted into sound to create a system for alerts and monitoring.

If you do a little digging online, you will find all sorts of beautiful examples of data sonification. From the movement of fish to the colors used in famous paintings, data sonification is helping us find new ways to observe the world. In a recent episode of NPR’s Science Friday, you can hear how scientists are developing new ways to use this data analysis technique.

As a science teacher, I often helped students use visual tools, such as graphs and drawings, to understand the data they collected. The chance to add an audio component to help solidify student understanding interests me. I see data sonification as a way for students who are visually impaired to make new observations.

Intrigued by the idea of turning data into sound, I decided to create my own sonifications. I found a free program called Sonification Sandbox that does exactly what I needed.

In the video below, I demonstrate it in action.